According to rumors, sporting star Freddie Flintoff has resigned from his position as England’s coach.
For more than a year, Flintoff—who is most remembered for his valiant actions during the historic 2005 Ashes series and his work on the BBC show Top Gear—collaborated with the English white-ball sides.
The 46-year-old was generally expected to eventually take the top post after serving as England’s assistant coach at the T20 World Cup earlier in the summer.
However, Flintoff will not be coaching for England against Australia in the white-ball series that begins next month, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Beginning on September 11, Jos Buttler’s team will play five one-day internationals and three T20 matches against the old enemy.
But Flintoff is not expected to be involved, with the Telegraph reporting that he did not gel with England white-ball captain Buttler during the recent World Cup.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have declined to comment on the report, confirming only that ‘squads and management for the series against Australia will be announced in due course’.
England were aiming to retain the T20 World Cup trophy and win their third title but were knocked out in the semi-finals by eventual winners India.
Flintoff’s former England team-mate Marcus Trescothick was placed in interim charge of the side for the upcoming Australia series after Matthew Mott was relieved of his duties.
Regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders of all time, Flintoff showed his coaching credentials during this season’s Hundred tournament, coaching Northern Superchargers to five wins from their seven completed games as the Headingley-based side narrowly missed out on the play-offs.
In March, England chief Rob Key backed Flintoff to become the national team’s head coach in the future.
‘Without question, I think he would be an excellent head coach,’ Key said. ‘Who knows where he ends up in the future.
‘He will be a worthy candidate going forward. When that time comes and whoever is in this job, and it might be outside of my time, they would be stupid not to look at him.’
Speaking recently, Flintoff said he felt ‘lucky’ to be back involved with England, especially after a serious crash while filming Top Gear in 2022 almost cost him his life.
‘Cricket has given me so much,’ Flintoff said. ‘It’s all I ever wanted to do as a kid and I got the opportunity to live my dream.
‘I feel really lucky to be back here and I want the lads to cherish playing. When you finish playing, you look back and it passes so quickly, but you just take time when you’re out there, just to have a look around and take it in and live in the moment.
‘And that’s what I’m doing these days. It’s living in the moment and enjoying it. And that’s something I want the players to do, and the teams that play under me to do as well.’
16-year-old Rocky Flintoff… those shots look familiar 😯
(via @lancscricket)pic.twitter.com/4je61ngaPa
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) April 18, 2024
Flintoff scored more than 7,000 runs and took exactly 400 wickets in 227 matches for England. But numbers only tell part of the story for one of England’s greatest and most-loved cricketers.
His son Rocky, 16, signed his first professional contract with Lancashire earlier in the year and has made a promising start to his career.
The teenager scored 88 in a One-Day Cup game against Middlesex two weeks ago and this week hit 32 in his first County Championship innings against leaders Surrey.
‘I’m very happy and excited to have signed my first professional contract with Lancashire,’ he said.
‘It’s something that I’ve been working towards since I started playing cricket, so to sign for my home county is a dream come true.
‘I’ve been with the club since I was eight-years-old, so to have the opportunity to keep representing the Red Rose is a big honour.
‘I have loved playing for the Second XI so far this season and I’m looking forward to continuing to work hard on all aspects of my game.’